Avoiding the Possibility of Death
by CosmicGirl22
Summary: A new boarder on Serenity leads to an excited Jayne, but when Reavers come a-callin' who will save the day? Mal/OC
1. Default Chapter

My attempt at a Firefly Fic.

"That spare room isn't doing us any good sittin' empty." Mal said to Zoe as he walked past her to the dining room table.

"Another passenger, Captain?" Zoe asked, sounding graver by the minute.

"Why not?" Mal said, and pursed his lips. "We could use the extra funding..."

"Because the last time we took on boarders it didn't exactly go well." Zoe said reminding the captian of the time Kaylee got shot.

"Well this passenger comes with a high recommendation...and she wont have no guns."

"She? Captain?" Zoe asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Yeah...she's a she." Mal said and with a shrug added. "So?"

"A girl-on her own in space? Not saying its not heard of Captain ..it's just..."

"She's hardly a girl, Zo. I reckon she be able to handle herself."

--

The cargo bay hatch opened and in walked a woman...approximatly 5'2" and a bit curvy. Her hair hung down in two braids, and though she was dressed somewhat rugged she looked as though she had been wealthy.

"It's a girl." Jayne said in a tone that implied no one else had noticed but him.

"Thank you for that astute assessment." Mal said as he walked up to the girl with the braids. "Im Captain Malcom Reynolds. Welcome to Serenity."

"Myra Graves." She slung her bag off her shoulder and held her hand out to the captain. "Serenity, huh?" Myra scanned the faces of the crew.

"That's right." Mal said as he shook her hand. "Hate to be rude, but I believe theres a fee to be paid, 'fore we get off the ground and all."

"Oh Right!" Myra knelt down and began rummaging thru her bag. "Half now and half upon the destination.....fair enough?"

She held out a bag to Mal.

"That depends on the destination." Mal said, but took the bag. "You never specified in your letter."

"Right." Myra seemed to smile. "Well...How about Yukanis?"

"Yukanis?" Mal asked his voice not seeming too happy about it.

"No?" Myra shook her head..."Youre right Yukanis is a bad place...um...Helliana?"

"Lemme get this straight, you dont know where you're wanting to go?" Malcom asked, then added. "I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this."

"It's more like... Where I'm going aint as important as gettin there." She shrugged. "As long as it's getting away from here."

"Don't tell me-youre wanted by the Alliance?" Zoe said stepping forward.

"No...not alliance." Myra refuted.

"But you are wanted by someone?" The captain read into her words.

"If you must know Its my father. He's wanting me to stay put round these parts and well Im not willing to do that..so..."

"....so you want us to help you get lost?" Zoe finished for her.

"Hell...." Jayne spoke up. "I'll hide you from your father--and I wont charge you half what Mal here will."

"Thank you Jayne." Mal deadpanned, he starred at Myra then back at the bag of money. "Alright the other half on destination. Wash, get us in the air. Jay..- No, Sheppard...take Myra here to her room...its the one next to yours."

"Of course Captain." Sheppard Book stepped forward and offered Myra his arm. "If you will, Miss Graves."

"Damn, you sure know how to pick 'em Captain." Jayne said once Myra was out of earshot.

"Yeah, I know... this ones got trouble written all over her." Mal agreed dismally.

"I weren't talkin 'bout trouble, Cap'n." Jayne grinned wickedly.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." The Captain turned to Zoe. "Zoe, see if you can't find out some more information on our guest...oh and put a call into Inara....we're off this rock."

"Yes, Captain." Zoe turned and left.

"And you..." the Captain turned back to Jayne-whom he was now alone with. "I dont wanna be hearing "

"You aint gotta worry bout me Cap'n." Jayne said then headed off in the direction of the guest cabins.

"Definatly a bad feeling......"

----


	2. Jayne Tour

"Here we are." Shepherd Book said when they arrived at the room. "It's not exactly big, but.."

"It's fine." Myras smiled. "More-en-enough room for me."

""Well, if you ever get too cramped, I got spare room in my bunk." Jayne said coming into the room.

"I'll certainly remember that," Myra said, trying her best to be polite.

"I dont think we've been proper introduced. Im Jayne Cobb." he stuck out his hand at her, she took it reluctantly.

"Myra." She shook it a few times then reached down to pick up her luggage.

"Here Ill get that." Jayne said and rushed forward to pick up the heavy bag, as though it weighed nothing. "where you want it?"

"On the bed, please." she said and smiled, but cringed when the unmistakeable sound of something breaking came out, as Jayne threw her bag onto the bed.

Jayne only cleared his throat and gave an apologetic smile. Shepherd Book seemed to be trying to hold in laughter.

"Well." Jayne began after an uncomfortable silence. "Are you ready for your tour of the ship? "

"A tour sounds nice." Myra smiled and Jayne smiled back.

"Funny," Shepherd Book broke in. "I dont remember you offering me a tour when I first arrived on Serenity.."

"Well, this is Captain's orders..." Jayne said thinking fast. "Told me to come down here make the little lady feel welcome."

"Did I now?" Mal peered his head into the room. Myra tryed to keep herself from laughing at the look on the Captain's face...only to be matched by the 'caught-in-the-act' look on Jaynes face. "I think I woulda remembered that."

"Oh, well whoever's idea it was...." Myra said trying to cut the tension. "...its a great idea. I can always unpack later."

"Yeah Mal..."Jayne smiled and wrapped Myra's arm around his. "She can always unpack later."

"Just make sure you don't go touring up by the bridge." Mal said, not exactly sure he liked the idea of Jayne and the new girl trapesing around together on his boat.

"Aw...Mal...I was gonna show her my bunk."

"Stick to the dining room...Ill be up in a bit. Me and Miss Graves here have some talkin to do."

"Talking, Captain?" Myra asked as she was trying not to be led away by Jayne.

"Some loose ends need tyin up, that's all. Like I said I'll be up in-a-bit."

Jayne and Myra left arm in arm up toward the top floor. Jayne could still be heard saying things like "This is our staircase..."

"I don't suppose these 'loose ends' have anything to do with The Alliance?" Shepherd Book said to Mal.

"I dont reckon so.." Mal said as he turned to leave. "Zoe's checking that out right now."

---

"So is the new girl dangerous?" Wash asked as Zoe used his com to check Myra's info, Wash's tone was as casual, as though he were asking if it was going to rain.

"Well, theres no warrants for her arrest, if thats what you mean." Zoe replied.

"Wow, she'll never fit in."

"Found anything?"Mal said coming onto the bridge. "New girl's being given a ship tour by Jayne."

"Awh..That's nice of him." Wash said with a serene expression.

"She's not wanted by The Alliance, Captain. " Zoe said as she pulled up Myra's face on the screen. "However, there is a bounty on her head from an Ian Graves."

"Must be her father." Mal said looking interested. "How _much_ was the bounty?"

"Not much actually..." Zoe's tone was dissapointed. "We'll make more from her if she pays us what she owes us on arrival at Helliana."

"Well, probably better we stay on our current course anyway, speaking of which how long till we're there Wash?"

"I'd say maybe a week? That is if you don't mind being on the radar..."

"We ain't got nothing much to hide right now....the quickest routes the best."


	3. Wanted Dead or Alive

"We ain't got nothing much to hide right now....the quickest routes the best."

"Captain..." Zoe said her tone suddenly more somber. "There's something else."

"Well..." Mal said as his eyes went to where Zoe was pointing. "Isn't that somethin...Get me a print out of that Wanted poster." Mal stepped up and put his hand to the intercom. "Jayne...Get yourselves up to the dinning room."

"Oh, Can I come?" Wash said, jumping out of his seat. "I just love watching you interrogate people." Wash gushed. Mal didn't answer.

--

"Have your self a seat, Miss Graves." Mal said as he pulled out a dinning room chair and motioned for her to sit in it.

"I hope there's not any trouble?" Myra said reluctanly, but sat down anyway.

"Do you consider this trouble?" Mal said plopping her wanted poster down on the table in front of her.

"That's a good picture of you." Jayne said as he was peeking over Mal's shoulder at the paper. "Can I have that when youre done with it?"

"Jayne, go make yourself useful...peel some potatos for chow." Mal ordered, Jayne was about to complain but then decided better of it from the look on Mal's face.

"Hey Jayne." Wash said coming into the dinning room, his expression as happy as a clam. "How'd the tour go? Did you show her your rainstick?"

"Cap'n wouldn't let me take her to my bunk..." Jayne grumbled and started in on the potatos.

"I'm still waitin on an answer, Miss Graves." Mal's tone becomeing impatient.

"It's my father....I told you he wanted me back home." Myra said.

"Your father sent out this bounty?" Mal asked once again.

"Yeah..." Myra said again but less confidently than before.

"How much is this bounty?" Jayne asked from the kitchen.

"Potatoes, Jayne." Mal scolded Jayne then turned his attention back to Myra. "Now, I don't know about families around here...Most of em wouldn't sent out a bounty like this for one of their own." Mals finger pointed down at the bottom of the poster. Right to where it said '**_Wanted Dead or Alive.' _**"I think its time you came clear with me."

"Alright." Myra bit her lip and sighed. "Ian Graves isn't my dad, but he is old enough to be."

"And this is relavant why?" Mal asked.

"I was sold to Ian Graves- black market bride. I'm sure you've heard of it...in your line of work."

"Now what is that supposed to mean?" Mal asked no one in particular.

"I decided to run away...been planning it for months." Myra's eyes fell to the poster. "I saved what money I could, then waited for a transport ship to take me away, and that was..."

"Serenity." Mal finished for her.

"Serenity." Myra aggreed.

"Well....seems I shoulda been callin you Mrs. Graves." Mal said and looked up as Kaylee and Shepherd Book walked in. "Kaylee, what are you doing in here?"

"Well, I gotta start supper Cap'n." Kaylee said and walked over to the kitchen, then she saw Jayne. "Jayne...what are you doing?"

"Peeling potatos for supper." Jayne grumbled again.

"But we ain't having potatos for supper....?" Kaylee said and took the potato he was peeling away from him.

"Captain says peel potatos...I peel potatos." Jayne took the potato back from her and started peeling again.

Exasperated, Kaylee turned back to Mal. "but...Cap'n...We aint having potatos...."

"I'm sure you can find some use for em." Mal said and turned back to Myra. Kaylee could be heard letting off a long string of chinese phrases.

"Look," Myra began again. "I never considered that man my husband. He was more like my kidnapper than anything."

"You're still useing his last name."

"Only so I could pretend I was his daughter." Myra defended. "He will kill me if I go back-make no mistake."

"We aint takin you back...." Mal said, though his voice seemed less than confident. "You paid up...and that good enough for us."

"So whats your real name....before you were kidnapped an all?" Jayne asked now coming out of the kitchen-at Kaylee's insistance.

"Myra Davis."

"And if I go look up that, Im not gonna find any other warrants?" Mal asked sarcastically.

"No." Myra laughed. "I was a librarian, in Hiwatha City, on Dusken."

"Then why don't you wanna head back there?"

"I was kidnapped there...that's the first place they'll look. I just want to start over-- make a new life for myself." She reasoned.

"We've all been there before...havent we Captain?" Shepherd Book said speaking up.

"More times than we'd like to admit, Shepherd." Mal agreed then pulled out his own chair and plopped down in it. "Librarian, huh?"

"Yeah...alot of fileing, categorizeing.....It didn't pay very well but I got to borrow all the books I wanted." Myra said.

"You must be very well read." the Shepherd said, with a kind smile. "I have a few books myself, if you'd like to borrow one..."

"Thank you." Myra smiled.

"Well fancy fileing skills wont do you much good out here. And this is as good a time as any to let you know we have chores around here. Kaylees makin chow tonight, Shepard has dishes, so you can do garbage."

"I have no problem with that." Myra nodded, "I would like a bit of a rest before supper though, if thats ok?"

"Sure, we've all got things need a tendin to." Mal agreed and then got up himself. Myra got up to and was leaveing when she was stopped by another person standing in the doorway.

"Oh pardon me." Myra smiled at the new woman, she didnt smile back.

"Who are you?" the dark haired woman asked bluntly.

"I'm Myra." she answered and held out her hand, but Jayne was pushing her past the dark haired woman and out into the hallway behind.

"She's Myra...You're Inara..Im Jayne." he said. "Now that we all know each other, Im gonna finish my tour. Where were we.....?"


	4. Meeting River

Myra laid in her bunk, but she wasn't sleeping. Her mind was on other things, mostly the fact that the whole crew now knew about the bounty on her head. She would have to leave this ship at the first opportunity, a concept that made her feel more stressed and tired.

The sliding door opened and a young girl stepped in quietly. Myra looked up at her quizzically, sure she was there to tell her it was time to eat but the girl said nothing. Her hair was long and draped around her shoulders.

"Can I help…?" Myra started to say but the girl began to speak.

"The sun was shining that day and sky was blue, but for some reason it was as unsettling like a big grey cloud."

"River?" A young man not much older than the girl appeared behind her. "River, you shouldn't be in here." he said more to the girl as he also entered the small room.

"She was." River answered and motioned to Myra on the bed.

"Im sorry." The young man said. "I'm Simon, ship medic, and this is my sister, River. She seems to be curious about you. You were from Dusken, right? Word on this ship travels fast." he added at Myra's inquisitive look.

"Yes, Dusken." she repeated, troubled to hear how fast "word' was traveling.

"Its one of the nicer of the mid-planets." Simon said, but was distracted by his sister and trying to make her leave the room.

"A benefit of being close to the core, I imagine." Myra managed as she watched the spectacle. "Unlike that dung heap of a planet I just left."

"It wasn't the planet you hated." River said loudly. "…Those on it you despise, and for good reason. What he did to you. What no man should do to a woman, and if it aint a man, it's a monster."

"River, stop." Simon tried to control his sister but it was too late. She had said it.

"Time for chow-get upstairs." It was the Captain. He stuck his head in the door. He had heard every word River had said., and was more than sure most of it had been true by the look now on Myra's face.

"I'm sorry." Simon said again as he collected his sister. Myra stood there wondering how the girl had known all that. It was more than she could've given away unintentionally. Those words had been plucked from her thoughts and been spoken aloud.

"Chow." The captain said again and motioned for her to come.

She stood and walked toward him. He put his arm across the door way to stop her before she fully exited the room.

"That true? What she said….was he a monster?" Malcolm leaned in close and whispered the question. "You can tell me to mind my own damn business too, if you'd rather."

"Let's just leave it be, Captain." Myra said, finally. "I'm off his damn planet, and I ain't ever goin' back."

Mal nodded and dropped his arm, then followed her up to the dining room.

They were all seated around the table. No one was saying much as they had begun to stuff their faces and were still a bit quiet at the new person at the table. Kaylee scooped more potatoes on her plate with a bit of attitude. Inara wasn't present and River wasn't eating. She was staring at Myra, who didn't feel much like eating either.

"River, you need to eat something," Simon said trying to focus her attention on her plate.

"I know it aint the best supper I ever made but y'all could at least pretend to eat it." Kaylee said finally breaking some of the tension.

"Food's good." Mal said and took a big bite of food.

"Then am I missin' something?" Kaylee asked.

"You took his money and you were happy." River said boldly to Myra.

"River, no." Simon tried.

"After he'd taken so much from you. It tipped the scales a bit-but now you've spent most of it getting away from him and what he did to you creeps back up and gets in your throat and you cant swallow it down." A tear began to stream down River's face.

Myra felt as though the most secret page of her diary had been ripped out and passed around the room. They all sat staring at her, judging her. Except for the Sheppard who had the decency to look down at his plate.

"May I be excused, Captain." Myra asked holding back her tears.

"No." the Captain said firmly with a bit more emphasis that was needed. "Doctor, I think it best you take your sister elsewhere to finish her meal."

"Yes, I agree." Simon said and led River out of the room.

"I-um…" Myra began trying to find something to say.

"You don't owe us no explanations." Captain cut her off and took a few more bites before standing and heading off in the direction Simon and River had went. He found them in the chairs near the infirmary.

"Captain." Simon said when he saw Mal descending the stair case. "I know what you're thinking."

"I don't think you do." Mal said. Simon made to speak again but the Captain didn't let him. "River's little outbursts are wreaking havoc with our new guests emotions."

"I don't think River meant to hurt h…"

"Didn't say she did, but that don't change the fact its happenin'. Now, Miss…Graves, or Davis," the Captain seemed unsure of what to call her… "…will be getting off in no time-a-tall. So try and keep your sister away from her. Dong-ma?"

"Yes, Captain." he nodded.

--

Myra emptied her plate into the trash, shyness was not usually part of her personality but she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

"This may be a bit un solicited." Sheppard Book said softly to her as he also cleaned his plate. "But if you ever need to talk, I am a Sheppard."

"Thank you." she smiled, truly thankful for the offer. "But I…"

"Just think on it." he smiled kindly and gave her a knowing look.

"Well, I aint no Sheppard." Jayne interjected as he grabbed the garbage and hoisted it up. "But you can talk to me too-possibly more than talk."

"Jayne." The Captain reentered the room. He was about to lecture Jayne on the fact he had specifically told Myra to take care of trash duty. when the alarm went off. Everyone looked up at the alert.

"Captain. I need you on the bridge." came Wash's voice over the voice comm. "We've got trouble."

Mal motioned for Zoë to follow him and made a b-line for the bridge.

"What's going on?" Myra asked Book and Jayne, but neither answered. They only looked forward and waited to hear from the captain.

--

"What is it, Wash?" Mal asked as he came onto the bridge.

"Its bad Mal. Ship just out of range…no core containment."

"Reaver ship?" Zoë asked, coming in.

"Looks to be." Wash answered, his brown furrowed, his tone somber.. "And, Mal…it's a big one."

Mal let out a few Chinese slurs as he reached for the comm. "Listen up, This is the Captain. We got ourselves a peck of trouble. I need Jayne to the bride. The rest of you…find yourselves a place to strap in."

--

Myra's eyes widened. She hadn't ever been on a space ship before, other than the trip from Dusken and all of that trip she spent drugged and stored in a crate. She wasn't exactly sure what a 'peck of trouble' meant out here in the black, but from the tone of the captains voice she was sure it was bad.


End file.
